STRANGE MISSION OF AVENGERS

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 233, 29 June 1944, Page 6

STRANGE MISSION OF AVENGERS

Bougainville Potato Run SMASHING ENEMY’S FOOD SUPPLY PLANS (R N Z.A.F. Official News Service.) BOUGAINVILLE, June 24. One of the strangest tasks ever assigned to R.N.Z.A.F. aircraft is being carried out by Avenger bombers at Bougainville daily as a routine mission in addition to their bombing of Japanese strongpoints in the llabuul area, llie airetews call it the "potato run. which is peculiarly apt because their objective fs to interfere with Japanese attempts to establish gardens on Bougainville to supplement-their food supplies. Flying over the Japanese-occupied ureas of the island, these small plots are seen scratchdd out of the jungle in all directions. The gardens are not large and are well dispersed, so that knocking them out is by no means easy. Many varieties of vegetables are planted—beaus, taro, lettuce, sweet potatoes and in this soil and with this climate growth is rapid and prolific. „ , . If the Japanese were allowed to grow and harvest these crops unmolested their problem of food supplies would be partially solved. They can rarely be seen actually working in the gardens, for at the first warning of approaching Allied, aircraft they can reach the cover of the nearby jungle in a few seconds. It became obvious that it would be futile to attempt to stop the establishment of such garden plots, and that the answer lay in denying the crops to the enemy. “ Sprayed With Oil.

So it was that the “potato run” came into being. Fitted with oil containers and r large tube for the discharge of an oil spray. R.N.Z.A.F. Avengers are sent out almost every day to spray garden areas. Xt is a difficult task which calls for the greatest skill on the part of the Pilot, for he must fly practically ‘‘down on the deck" if his efforts are not to be wasted. If .the garden clearing is surrounded by jungle, he must skim the treetops, dive down and along the plot, and then up and over the trees at the far cud. It the garden is planted in a strip along the edge of the jungle he must fly along with his wing tip uncomfortably close- to giant mahogany trees. # It may not be an exciting form of warfare. but it is one other factor in the War of supplies which in the Solomons today is going steadily and disastrously against the Japanese.